Delphi Private Advisors

Rebranding a boutique wealth management firm for national growth by leveraging differentiators in a crowded and homogenous industry.

Opportunity

Key Details

INDUSTRY

Financial Services

SERVICES

Market Research

Brand Strategy

Brand Identity

Website Design

Copywriting

Photography

Corporate Stationery

BRAND ROLLOUT

2014

The Opportunity

Delphi was a private wealth management firm at a pivotal stage of their growth when they approached Ignyte in 2013. After setting up shop in 2009 during the worst financial crisis in 75 years, they had managed to rise to the top 10 percent in the industry in terms of size, with a growth rate in the top 5 percent. As is often the case, though, their meteoric success meant that Delphi had quickly outgrown their original identity. They sought to differentiate themselves within an industry seen as highly homogenous and in a city seen as not particularly sophisticated when it comes to capital markets. They wanted to be perceived as a highly respected firm that made institutional-caliber wealth management accessible to individuals and families, while still providing a personalized and customized client experience. Additionally, in order to continue to grow, they had to attract top-tier, Ivy League talent. What Delphi needed was compelling messaging that evoked an expert, exclusive, and sophisticated brand.

Strategy

Brand Strategy

When it comes to services and benefits, most wealth management firms differ very little. Delphi’s primary goal was to differentiate themselves as established, exclusive, and sophisticated. Our research confirmed the current brand wasn’t projecting these attributes. We also discovered that the partners’ relatively young age, thought by the team to be a potential problem for client acquisition, was actually an important asset. Clients liked the idea of savvy wealth managers that would be around for decades to come. Youth became central to the brand’s positioning, messaging, and identity. We highlighted the contrast between Delphi’s fresh, contemporary identity system and the stuffy, outdated industry standard.

Stakeholders

04

Customer Interviews

10

Competitive Audits

06

Audience Personas

05

Identity

Brand Identity

In crafting a much-needed refresh for the Delphi logo, we simplified and strengthened the original signature. By retaining the brand font with tighter kerning and increased weight, we emboldened the wordmark while preserving brand recognition. We reimagined the logo’s symbol as a winged lioness: a powerful, archetypal image representing attainment and protection. Finally, the teal hue was chosen to strike a feminine balance catering to the growing number of female primary household earners.

Identity Suite

The Delphi stationery was designed to evoke a level of sophistication and exclusivity on par with the firm’s target demographic. The business card reverse side is all black with a tint of the Delphi logo, evoking the elite in-club privilege of the American Express “Black Card.” This color flood was extended across the entire identity system. The inside of the report covers and capacity folders was designed as a splash of Delphi blue to provide an unexpected, feminine, and friendly contrast.

Website

Website

The Delphi site was designed to be an impressive, informative introduction to the firm for prospective clients visiting on referral. The target audience segment was sophisticated and high net-worth, with very limited time. The website, therefore, had to be clear and compelling. In surveying competitors’ sites, we discovered the opposite to be the prevailing trend. Simplicity in design and messaging was a huge opportunity to differentiate the Delphi brand. The result was a site that was minimalist yet moving, united by the personal narratives of the brand and its clients.

Responsive Website

Ignyte’s proven expertise in developing simple yet powerful mobile experiences was one of the main reasons Delphi opted to work with us. Theirs was a target audience that expected convenience and functionality from a website, regardless of which mobile device they were using.

Iconography

Iconography

To infuse the website with a friendly, modern feel, we implemented a series of custom icons designed to offset the serious nature of the investment sphere. These visual metaphors were meant to breathe life into the web copy as well as embody the down-to-earth attitude of the Delphi team.

Copywriting

Copywriting

Delphi’s brand personality and key value propositions were brought to life via carefully crafted copy that reflected the company’s unique positioning. Expert service offerings were framed in a voice that was at once sophisticated and down to earth. The all-important Big Idea of “Thoughtful Excellence” was depicted through messaging that captured the team’s industry expertise and personable, impassioned commitment.

Our services are driven by thoughtful excellence

Providing institutional-caliber wealth management services, Delphi works to create thoughtfully designed and managed portfolios. Delphi also emphasizes tax efficiency and risk-adjusted returns, in an effort to help you preserve the wealth you’ve worked so hard to build. Read on to learn more about our integrated, transparent and collaborative process.

Photography

Culture Photography

Simple and compact, the Delphi website called for minimal photography. The images we staged comprised office lifestyle shots featuring the Delphi team interacting with clients. We opted for black-and-white photography to imbue an air of elegance, sophistication, and intelligence offset by the site’s friendly iconography and engaging blue brand color.

Team Photography

The team photography for Delphi was produced with an aesthetic consistent with the culture shots: soft black-and-white imagery to embody the professionalism of the team, but staged to capture the youthful, inviting, and energetic personalities that are the cornerstone of the firm’s unique service offerings.